Birding - Collecting information from what we see, hear, identify and count.

Outdoor meetings are held throughout the year at sites that will yield the best in birdwatching.

We record everything we see and hear. All birds are identified and counted though there will, no doubt, be some that "got away"! All our bird records are submitted to the Birdtrack site organised by the British Trust for Ornithology. This puts our efforts into a national context and makes them more valuable for the conservation and understanding of the birds we enjoy watching. We make a special effort to count, or estimate, as accurately as possible. The more experienced birders will explain why and how they identified a particular bird. There are several photographers who also record the birds we see and their photos can be seen in the Gallery. We have lots of fun counting flocks of birds as accurately as possible and everyone can have an input.

One of the aims of the outdoor meetings is to see as wide a variety of species as possible. This means visiting as wide a variety of habitats as possible. These are some of the sites that we have visited in the past and will do so in the future. Visit the calendar below to find out when we are birding at these sites. If you would like to come along and join us, you would be most welcome.

STODMARSH NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE (NATURAL ENGLAND) Freshwater wetland, good all year round.

GROVE FERRY NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE (NATURAL ENGLAND)Freshwater wetland, good all year round.

JANUARY 16TH – MINNIS BAY. What will this local site reveal?

JANUARY 23RD – PEGWELL BAY for waders and winter waterbirds.

JANUARY 30TH – GROVE FERRY. Our best chance of a Kingfisher.

FEBRUARY 6TH – OARE MARSHES. One of the best Kent sites.

FEBRUARY 13TH – DUNGENESS. Perhaps THE best site in Kent. Good birds guaranteed.

FEBRUARY 20TH – STODMARSH. Robins, ducks and more.

FEBRUARY 27TH – RECULVER. A good range of winter birds.

MARCH 6TH – OARE MARSHES. Winter/spring changeover time.

MARCH 13TH – MINNIS BAY for some local early migrants.

MARCH 20TH – OARE MARSHES for some more early migrants.

MARCH 27TH – STODMARSH. Bird song special.

APRIL 3RD – DUNGENESS. Searching for new spring migrants.

APRIL 10TH – EASTER BREAK; NO MEETING

APRIL 17TH – EASTER BREAK; NO MEETING

APRIL 24TH – GROVE FERRY. Beginning of the breeding season.

MAY 1ST – Last “winter” meeting in the morning at PEGWELL BAY

MAY 8TH – First summer evening meeting at 7pm. GROVE FERRY

SITE DIRECTIONS :

OARE MARSHES – Turn off the London Road (old A2) at the roundabout signposted Oare between Ospringe and Teynham. At the junction turn left and just past the “Three Mariners” turn right. After about a mile park in the car-park at the end of the road just after the lagoon. ME13 0QD. There is a loo at Sainsbury’s on the way.

STODMARSH – Park in the Reserve car-park down the track behind the triangular village green. There is a loo here. CT3 4BB.

GROVE FERRY - Meet at the car-park next to the pub car-park. CT3 4BP. Loo available. There is a day-time car parking charge.

RECULVER Meet at the Reculver Towers car-park near Herne Bay CT6 6SU. There is a small car-parking charge but there is a loo.

MINNIS BAY, BIRCHINGTON

Meet at the Reculver end of the promenade car park. Promenade, Birchington CT7 9UN

BEGINNERS BIRDWATCHING WORKSHOPS

Meetings with the RSPB Thanet Local Group: Bird Identification Workshops

TUESDAYS 1-3PM at a larger room upstairs at the Queens Road Baptist Church Community Hall, Broadstairs presented by Pete. The cost will be £4 per session and this includes tea/coffee and a bicky ably provided by Dave and his team. Please bring your bird field guide. The Collins Guide is recommended.

29th January Grassland birds – coming to your local golf course.

5th February Woodland birds including woodpeckers and warblers.

12th February National Nest-box Week – our results so far and the future.

19th February Local bird-watching sites.

26th February Seabirds and where to see them.

5th March Spring migration through Gibraltar.

12th March Spring migration through Israel.

19th March Warblers, greens and browns and beautiful song.

26th March Nesting – the most important part of a birds’ life.

Final winter session

The programme for each meeting is as follows – welcome and signing in, what have you seen and your questions answered, news from the world of birds, what’s that bird – how we identify selected birds, the main event and a break about half-way. All are welcome and we will use your best friend (your field guide) throughout.

RSPB THANET LOCAL GROUP SATURDAY WALKS

SATURDAY WALKS 2019. These walks are organised on behalf of the Thanet Local Group. The leader is Pete Findley and walks are chosen to match good times of year to good places. Most take place in the mornings and last for two hours or so. The £3 donation goes towards local nest-box projects currently for owls and to the RSPB.

Telephone: 07768086318

FEBRUARY 26TH Following the River Stour by Michael Walters

Michael Walter is the former Warden of RSPB East Blean Woods, one of our nearest Reserves. Michael has studied the River Stour for many years and regularly walks sections of the river's course. Come and find out about one of our important local rivers, its birdlife and other wildlife.

Time: 7.30 pm

Price: £ 4 per person

Telephone: 07768086318

MARCH 29TH Wonderful Winter Wildlife By Ashley Grove

Whatever the British winter throws at us, we always have some incredible wildlife around us to help us through to the warmer months. The British Isles plays host to many birds during this season, with huge numbers of wildfowl arriving and wading birds putting on spectacular shows with flocks of thousands filling the skies around the coast. The winter thrushes, waxwings and other visitors add colour to chilly days and we can attract these and other visitors to the garden as the temperatures drop outside. This talk will hopefully give a solution to the winter blues and encourage you out and about to explore what special wildlife we have close by.

Time: 7.30 pm

Price: £ 4 per person

Telephone: 07768086318

APRIL 8TH Thanet Local Group AGM & Northern Lights, by Brian Short

The Annual General Meeting where you can hear all the news of the Group's achievements in the past year. You will have the chance to apply for a post, vote for various appointments, scrutinise the accounts and generally have your say on the way the group is run and future projects. This is your time to be heard and we value your input.